William h



(No Model) W. H. JOHNSON.

REGISTERING POST OFFICE STAMP.

No. 367,714, Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

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l//l//ll/llll/lllllll/l//Illl/ll/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

' XVILLIAM H. JOHNSON, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TOJOHN V. EMMlTT, OF SAME PLACE.

REGISTERING POST-OFFICE STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,714, dated Augustz,1887.

Application tiled July 20, WFG. Serial No. 2022.563. .(No model.)

T @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known thatI, WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Sterling, in the county ot' Vhiteside and State ot'Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsi'nPost-Office Stamps and Reg isters; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and` exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in Io the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accom* panying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partot' this specification. I5 My invention has reference to a postofticestamp and register, and has particular reference to those oltices inwhich it is necessary to count the letters as the stamps thereon arecanceled; and the object of my invention is to automatically enumeratesuch letters in the operation of stamping them.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly iu section, ot` amachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a vertical section in a lineperpendicular to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail ofthe means for rotating thedials.

A is the main stem, provided on its lower face with two stamps, one tocancel the postage-stamp, and the other to print the usual impress ol'name of post-ottice and date. rlhe upper portion,`A, of the stem A is ahollow cylinder, and near the lower end of said stem is journaledtherein transversely the roller B, and near the upper end of said stem Ais in like manner journaled a corresponding roller, O. Inside ot" thehollow stem A, and carried on the rollers D O, is the endless metallicribbon D. Upon the latter areindicated degrees a, at equal intervals andextending entirely around its outer surface and aggregating one hundred.rlhese degrees can be marked nnmcrically, or each fifth one can bemarked in an arithmetical progression of tive.

The roller O is providcdwith peripheral spurs or sprockets c, and in theedge of the ribbon D are holes or recesses d, in which the sprockets cengage, and thus secure the progression ofthe ribbon D coincidently withthe rotation of the roller C. The roller Chas also 5o rigidly attachedthereto,within the stem A, a ratchet-wheel, E, of such size, and havingratchcts of such frequency,that the movement ot' each ratchet to theposition of the next preceding one will advance the ribbon D one of thedegrees thereon. On the upper end, A', of the stem Ais formed integraltherewith the top A2, the neck A, and the .head A".

F is a sleeve or shell which incloses and is adapted to reciprocate onthe upper portion,y 4 A', ofthe stem A. The lowerend ot' the shell 60 Fis open,while its upper end or tlange, F', enA circles the neck A3 andplays between the top A2 and head A" ot the stem A. The shell F extendsentirely around the stem A, has a smooth exterior, is adapted to begrasped by the hand ot' the operator, and when the stamp is brought downupon the letter, in the process of stamping the letter, the sleeve Fslips down the exterior ot' the stem A between the top A and head A",the latter two points acting as stops for said shell.`

Acoiled spring,G, is placed around the neck Abetween the top A? and headA, and operates to carry the shell F when the stamp is raised from theletter up against the under side of the head A". A pawl, H, is pivotedto the inner side ot the shell F, with its point upward and in such.relation to the ratchet E as that the upward throw of the shell Fcauses said pawl to engage and rotate the ratchet E the width ot' oneot' the ratchets thereon. A spring, H, attached to the shell F andpressing against. the back of the pawl H, holds the latter in positionto engage the ratchet E. Sufficient ofthe side ot the stem A is cut ontto allow of the protrusion and movement of the pawl H and spring` H.Each upward movement ofthe pawl H through the medium ot' the ratchet Eand roller C advances the ribbon D one degree. 9o

It is obvious that the pawl H can be placed at the opposite side of theratchet E and be made to actuate said ratchet on the downward movementof the shell F. A dog, J, seated in the stem A opposite and reversely tothe pawl H, engages the ratchet E and prevents its retrogression.

K and L are two dials seated pivotally on the front of the stem A, asfollows:

rEhe front half of the stem A is eut out at 10o the location ot saiddials, and cross-braces M fastened across said stem.

The dials are seated in such eut-away places and journaled in saidbraces by projecting` their respective axles K and L outwardly throughsuch braces. 0n the outerend ofthe shaft of theupper dial, K, is formedthe knob K2, for convenience in setting the dials. Fach dial is dividedinto ten equal degrees, marked progressively near its periphery from oneto ten, inclusive. One-half ot' the crossbraees M is formed quite narrowand serves as an indicator over each dial.

A trip, D', is formed on the ribbon D above the one hundredth degree,which engages at each complete revolution of the said ribbon one oftheten spurs li, formed equidistant in. a. circular series on the backofthe dial l, and thereby rotates the latter the distance between thefigures on its face. The spurs li are ar ranged eircnlarly, and the tripD is placed near enough to the edge of the ribbon D and made so narrowas to engage only that spur 1li which extends nearest to the side of thestem A.

On the back of the dial L is formed around near its periphery a circularseries of eogs, Li', and on the edge ol' thedial K is formed a spur, K,which at each complete revolution otthe dial l( engages one ol.' theeopgs L" and rotates the dial L one-ot' the latters degrees.

The dial l( is placed the thickness of the dial L farther into the stemA, so that the spur li, proieeted on the plane ofthe dial l, shall be onthe plane of the eogs L.

N .is an indicator fastened on the inner side ofthe front wall ol thestem A at a suitable distance above the dial lli. The front wall of thestem A and that of the shell F are cnt away at the point of saidindicator, so as to create an opening in said stem and shell eq ual totive or more of the degrees a, marked, as aforesaid, ou the ribbon D,whereby it maybe readily seen at any time which ofthe degrees on saidribbon is under said indicator; or, in other words, such opening;` inthe stem A and shell F renders it feasible at all times to perceive theposition and progress of said ribbon relative to said inditaitor. Thereference-letter A2 denotes thc top or llange,whieh is bent `in beneaththe head A.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The o perator grasps theinstrument around the shell F and brings it down upon the letter. Thiscauses the downward movement of said shell, slipping' on th stem- A, andwithdraws the pawl Yll from the ratchet lil. the

spring` ll then throws said pawl inward sufficient to engage the nextratchet, when, the stamp being` raised, the spring` (l throws the shellF up again, (or the stem A down,) and in this upward movement the pawllt engages the said next ratehetetooth on the ratchet 1li),

and rotates the latter sufficient to progress the ribbon D one degree.W'hen said ribbon has made one entire reii'olutiomthc trip D engages oneof the spurs li on the reverse of the dial IK, and moves the latter onedegree. vWhen the dial Vl( has made one entire revolu.- tion, its spur Kengages one of the cogs L on the dial L, and rotates the latter onedegree. rlhe -ribbon D, therefore, at the indicator N, denotes thenumber ot' letters stamped as to fractions of a hundred, the dial l( thennniber of hundreds, and the dial L the number of thousands up to tenthousands, when the instrument begins again. lt is obvious that each ofthc said registers must be set to begin at one. A n outside button, l,on the roller B affords the means of setting' the instrument.

Vhat i claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, 1s-

l. lhe combination of the stem A, shell F, adapted to slide on saidstem, rollers I3 and (l, ribbon D,earried on said rollers,the ratchet E,attached to one of saidrollers, and pawl VIl, attached to said shell Fand adapted to intermittingly rotate said ratchet, substantially asshown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the stem A, the shell F, adapted to close uponsaid stein, rollers l and @,ionrnaled in said stem, ribbon l), earriedon said rollers, ratchet lil, attached to one of said rollers, pawl ll,adapted to engage said ratchet, and spring- (l, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposementioned.

Si. The combination, in a hand-stamp, of a. main stem, A, `rollers lland (tjournaled in said stem, said roller (l beine` provided withratchet ld, ribbon l), carried on said rollers and marked in degrees, asstated, shell F. adapted to be reeiprocated on said stem A. and providedwith pawl Vll, and mechanism, substantially as shown, for indicating thepro- `gross and position of said ribbon, for the purpose described.

4t. The combination, in a bruid-stamp, of a. main stem, A, and rollerslli t), said roller U being provided with the ratchet E, the ribbon l),provided with trip D and marked substantially as indicated herein, ashell, F, adapted to close on the. stein A and provided with means foractuating said ratchet, crossbraees M, dial l, provided with spurs K"and K, and dial L, provided with eoes L, substantially as shown, and forthe purpose specified.

ln testimony whereof l aftix'my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VlLLl'.-\ll[ ll'. JOHNSON.

Vitnesses:

Anltu' Satira, ,ltoswtmt (um Meios.

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